Lokpal Bill panel: Ramdev seems to have misunderstanding, says Hazare

New Delhi, Apr 10 (ANI): Defending the Lokpal Bill panel, Gandhian Anna Hazare responding to Baba Ramdev's allegations, said that he seems to have a bit of misunderstanding, which will be sorted out.

"Baba Ramdev seems to have had a misunderstanding. It's a family matter. We will sort it out. This is the best team and it will not change. You need to understand this is the temperature team for drafting," said Hazare.

Ramdev and the representatives of his Bharat Swabhiman earlier today expressed displeasure over the composition of the 'Joint Government-Civil Society Committee' to draft the Lokpal Bill.

The yoga guru complained about the inclusion of both former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan and his advocate son Prashant Bhushan in the Joint Drafting Committee notified by the government.

"We initiated all this, from September 2010 to the first rally with Babaji, Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazareji. Even when the first draft of the Jan Lokpal Bill was drawn up on December 1 last year, we were central to it all, I myself was present," said S K Tijarawala, spokesperson for Bharat Swabhiman and Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth.

"The Ramlila rally on February 27 had several lakh signatures mobilised by us and our workers who were tirelessly behind all this," he added.

Hazare called off his hunger strike on Saturday after the government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member Joint Committee of Ministers and civil society activists, including him, to draft an effective Lokpal Bill.

The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lok Pal Bill will have five ministers from the government and five nominees of Hazare, including himself.

The five Ministers are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson, Home Minister P Chidamabaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily (Convenor), HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid.

The civil society will be represented by Hazare, former Supreme Court judge N Santosh Hegde, former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan (Co-Chairperson), lawyer Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal.

The notification said the Joint Drafting Committee will commence work forthwith evolving its own procedure to prepare the proposed legislation. The committee shall complete its work latest by June 30. (ANI)